Patentable/Patents/US-8478287
US-8478287

Method for positioning target terminal while protecting privacy of user thereof

PublishedJuly 2, 2013
Assigneenot available in USPTO data we have
Inventorsnot available in USPTO data we have
Technical Abstract

A method for positioning a target terminal while protecting the privacy of a user of the target terminal is provided. To this end, the real Identification (ID) of the target terminal is managed only by a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) Location Center (SLC) with which the target terminal make a contract for positioning thereof, so that the real ID is prevented from being exposed to the outside. In this way, even when a plurality of SLCs that can be managed by different network operator performs positioning of a target terminal by using an SUPL Positioning Center (SPC) existing in an external network, the real ID of the target terminal is not transferred to the SPC, and thus the privacy of a user of the target terminal can be protected.

Patent Claims
15 claims

Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.

Claim 1

Original Legal Text

1. A method of providing location information of a target Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) Enabled Terminal (target SET) while protecting privacy of a user of the target SET in a Home-SUPL Location server providing the location information of the target SET, the method comprising: receiving a location service request message including an ID of a requesting client and a real ID of the target SET; creating a virtual ID corresponding to the real ID of the target SET; generating an SUPL Initiation (SUPL INIT) message including the virtual ID for location session initiation; transmitting the SUPL INIT message to the target SET; receiving an SUPL Positioning Initiation (SUPL POS INIT) message including the virtual ID in response to the SUPL INIT message; identifying the target SET by using the virtual ID, and performing the positioning of the target SET; and transmitting the positioning result to the requesting client, wherein the Home-SUPL server includes a Home-SUPL Location Center (H-SLC) and a Home-SUPL Positioning Center (H-SPC), and a Positioning Request (PREQ) message including the virtual ID and a positioning method information to be used for positioning is transmitted from the H-SLC to the H-SPC.

Plain English Translation

A method for providing a target device's location information while protecting the user's privacy. This is done through a "Home-SUPL Location server." The process involves receiving a request for location information that includes an ID of the requesting client and a real ID of the target device. A virtual ID is created to correspond with the real ID. The server then generates a SUPL INIT message containing the virtual ID to initiate a location session with the target device. After receiving a SUPL POS INIT message with the virtual ID from the target device, the server identifies the target device using the virtual ID, performs positioning, and sends the positioning result to the requesting client. The Home-SUPL server includes a Home-SUPL Location Center (H-SLC) and a Home-SUPL Positioning Center (H-SPC), and a Positioning Request (PREQ) message including the virtual ID and a positioning method information to be used for positioning is transmitted from the H-SLC to the H-SPC.

Claim 2

Original Legal Text

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the creating of the virtual ID comprises: acquiring the virtual ID through a Privacy Control Entity (PCE) by using the real ID of the target SET.

Plain English Translation

The method of providing location information while protecting privacy, as described above, includes creating a virtual ID by acquiring it through a Privacy Control Entity (PCE) using the real ID of the target device. In essence, the real ID is used to retrieve a corresponding virtual ID from a privacy management system before proceeding with the location request.

Claim 3

Original Legal Text

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the real ID is used pursuant to details of an SET session-ID defined in an OMA TS ULP V2.0 standard, and the virtual ID is used pursuant to details thereof defined in an OMA PCP V1.0 standard.

Plain English Translation

The method of providing location information while protecting privacy, as described above, uses the real ID according to the format defined in the OMA TS ULP V2.0 standard for SET session-IDs. The virtual ID, conversely, conforms to the details defined in the OMA PCP V1.0 standard. This means that the standards define the structure and content of the real and virtual IDs.

Claim 4

Original Legal Text

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the generating of the SUPL INIT message comprises: inserting the virtual ID into an SET session-ID part of a session-ID included in the SUPL INIT message.

Plain English Translation

The method of providing location information while protecting privacy, as described above, includes generating the SUPL INIT message by inserting the virtual ID into the SET session-ID part of a session ID within the SUPL INIT message. The virtual ID replaces the real ID in this field, ensuring privacy during the location request.

Claim 5

Original Legal Text

5. The method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the SUPL INIT message comprises an ID mode indicating whether the target SET is to use the virtual ID or the real ID of the target SET.

Plain English Translation

The method of providing location information while protecting privacy, as described above, includes a SUPL INIT message that contains an ID mode indicator. This indicator specifies whether the target device should use the virtual ID or the real ID of the target device. This enables flexibility in how the device identifies itself during the location session.

Claim 6

Original Legal Text

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the SUPL INIT message comprises an SLP mode indicating whether the positioning of the target SET is performed in a proxy mode or a non-proxy mode.

Plain English Translation

The method of providing location information while protecting privacy, as described above, includes a SUPL INIT message that contains an SLP mode indicator. This indicator specifies whether the positioning of the target device will be performed in a proxy mode or a non-proxy mode. This affects how the location information is determined and managed by the server.

Claim 7

Original Legal Text

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the real ID comprises at least one of a Mobile Station International Integrated Services Digital Network (MSISDN), an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), and an IP Address.

Plain English Translation

The method of providing location information while protecting privacy, as described above, uses a real ID that can include one or more of the following identifiers: a Mobile Station International Integrated Services Digital Network (MSISDN), an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), or an IP Address. These are the actual identifying numbers.

Claim 8

Original Legal Text

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the step of performing the positioning of the target SET comprising: performing, by the H-SPC, the positioning of the target SET.

Plain English Translation

The method of providing location information while protecting privacy, as described above, includes performing the positioning of the target device by the H-SPC. This means the Home-SUPL Positioning Center handles the actual process of determining the device's location.

Claim 9

Original Legal Text

9. A method of providing location information of a target Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) Enabled Terminal (target SET) while protecting privacy of a user of the target SET in a Home-SUPL Location Center (H-SLC) providing the location information of the target SET, the method comprising: receiving a location service request message including an ID of a requesting client and a real ID of the target SET; creating a virtual ID corresponding to the real ID of the target SET; transmitting a Positioning Request (PREQ) message including the virtual ID and a positioning method information to be used for positioning to a Home-SUPL Positioning Center (H-SPC); generating an SUPL Initiation (SUPL INIT) message including the virtual ID for location session initiation; transmitting the SUPL INIT message to the target SET; receiving an SUPL Positioning Initiation (SUPL POS INIT) message including the virtual ID in response to the SUPL INIT message; receiving the positioning result from the H-SPC for performing the positioning of the target SET; and transmitting the positioning result to the requesting client.

Plain English Translation

A method for providing a target device's location information while protecting the user's privacy through a "Home-SUPL Location Center" (H-SLC). The process involves receiving a location service request message including an ID of the requesting client and a real ID of the target device. A virtual ID is created to correspond with the real ID of the target device. A Positioning Request (PREQ) message including the virtual ID and a positioning method to be used for positioning is transmitted to a Home-SUPL Positioning Center (H-SPC). The process generates an SUPL INIT message containing the virtual ID to initiate a location session with the target device. After receiving a SUPL POS INIT message containing the virtual ID from the target device, and receiving the positioning result from the H-SPC, the positioning result is sent to the requesting client.

Claim 10

Original Legal Text

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the creating of the virtual ID comprises: acquiring the virtual ID through a Privacy Control Entity (PCE) by using the real ID of the target SET.

Plain English Translation

The method of providing location information while protecting privacy, as described above, includes creating a virtual ID by acquiring it through a Privacy Control Entity (PCE) using the real ID of the target device. In essence, the real ID is used to retrieve a corresponding virtual ID from a privacy management system before proceeding with the location request.

Claim 11

Original Legal Text

11. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the real ID is used pursuant to details of an SET session-ID defined in an OMA TS ULP V2.0 standard, and the virtual ID is used pursuant to details thereof defined in an OMA PCP V1.0 standard.

Plain English Translation

The method of providing location information while protecting privacy, as described above, uses the real ID according to the format defined in the OMA TS ULP V2.0 standard for SET session-IDs. The virtual ID, conversely, conforms to the details defined in the OMA PCP V1.0 standard. This means that the standards define the structure and content of the real and virtual IDs.

Claim 12

Original Legal Text

12. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the generating of the SUPL INIT message comprises: inserting the virtual ID into an SET session-ID part of a session-ID included in the SUPL INIT message.

Plain English Translation

The method of providing location information while protecting privacy, as described above, includes generating the SUPL INIT message by inserting the virtual ID into the SET session-ID part of a session ID within the SUPL INIT message. The virtual ID replaces the real ID in this field, ensuring privacy during the location request.

Claim 13

Original Legal Text

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the SUPL INIT message comprises an ID mode indicating whether the target SET is to use the virtual ID or the real ID of the target SET.

Plain English Translation

The method of providing location information while protecting privacy, as described above, includes a SUPL INIT message that contains an ID mode indicator. This indicator specifies whether the target device should use the virtual ID or the real ID of the target device. This enables flexibility in how the device identifies itself during the location session.

Claim 14

Original Legal Text

14. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the SUPL INIT message comprises an SLP mode indicating whether the positioning of the target SET is performed in a proxy mode or a non-proxy mode.

Plain English Translation

The method of providing location information while protecting privacy, as described above, includes a SUPL INIT message that contains an SLP mode indicator. This indicator specifies whether the positioning of the target device will be performed in a proxy mode or a non-proxy mode. This affects how the location information is determined and managed by the server.

Claim 15

Original Legal Text

15. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the real ID comprises at least one of a Mobile Station International Integrated Services Digital Network (MSISDN), an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), and an IP Address.

Plain English Translation

The method of providing location information while protecting privacy, as described above, uses a real ID that can include one or more of the following identifiers: a Mobile Station International Integrated Services Digital Network (MSISDN), an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), or an IP Address. These are the actual identifying numbers.

Classification Codes (CPC)

Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.

Patent Metadata

Filing Date

June 5, 2007

Publication Date

July 2, 2013

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